Chapter 8: I’ll Lend Mom to Him for a Few Days

Felix Ford was crying so hard he could barely breathe. When he finally noticed Amanda Vance’s face had gone deathly pale, he stopped short. He let out a choked hiccup, his small hand touching her cheek as he frantically tried to comfort her. "Mommy, don’t be sad. I’ll stop crying, I’ll stop."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but hiccup again.

He could only cover his mouth with one hand while anxiously trying to soothe her.

The momentary pain subsided, and Amanda Vance let out a breath. She looked at him, a mixture of exasperation and amusement on her face, and pulled him into her arms. "Mommy’s here. Don’t cry. I’m sorry. It’s Mommy’s fault for not making you feel secure enough."

She felt a pang of guilt. It had been better when they were abroad; no one knew her situation, so no one asked questions. But here, there were too many familiar faces, and the way they looked at Jean was filled with mockery.

It was all because of her.

She hadn’t been able to give him a normal family environment. Jean had always been a sensitive child; he must have sensed something, which was why he was acting so out of character.

’It’s my fault.’

Sensing the shift in her mood, Felix Ford wrapped his arms around her neck, nuzzling his small face against hers. "Mommy, don’t say you’re sorry," he said softly. "I don’t blame you. I’m happy as long as you’re with me."

Holding his small body, Amanda Vance’s turbulent emotions were gradually soothed by him. Looking at his tear-streaked face, she couldn’t resist pinching his nose and teasing, "You’ve turned into a little messy kitten."

Felix Ford gave a silly smile and called out "Mommy" again. He shyly buried his face in her embrace, his hand tightly clutching the corner of her shirt, refusing to let go for even a moment.

"Mm-hmm," Amanda Vance murmured in response. She stood up, carrying him toward the restroom to wash his face.

After she left, a small figure emerged from behind a nearby pillar.

Jean Vance’s brow was tightly furrowed as he watched them walk away, a conflicted look in his eyes. In the end, his gaze settled on Felix Ford’s tear-stained face and his small, sobbing frame. He sighed. ’Fine. Since he’s so pathetic, I’ll let him stay with Mom for a few more days. I’ll go back in a couple of days.’

"Young Master." A bodyguard caught up to him, sighing in relief upon seeing him. He hurried over. "Young Master, what are you doing here? You scared me."

Just a moment ago, he had been shopping with the master, and then he vanished in the blink of an eye. The bodyguard had thought he’d run off again.

’Thank goodness he didn’t get far.’

Jean Vance glanced in the direction Amanda Vance and the other boy had gone. Seeing they were about to come out, he started walking in the opposite direction. "Where would I go?" he said as he walked.

’Plenty of places,’ he thought. ’Airports, train stations, even cruise ships—was there anywhere he hadn’t tried? He’s always making a fuss about finding his mom. Isn’t he afraid that before he finds her, he’ll get himself kidnapped? Then he’d lose his dad, too.’

Watching his small figure, the bodyguard sighed. ’The kid’s a pitiful one, really.’

"Where have you been?" Samuel Ford was sitting on a sofa, his expression hard. It added a layer of frost to his already cold demeanor, and he radiated a keep-away aura. He looked down at him, clearly displeased.

"Nowhere," Jean Vance replied, his tone even colder than his father’s.

Samuel Ford frowned at his son. ’Still mad? How can such a little guy have such a big temper?’

After a moment’s thought, looking at his son’s stubborn, cold face, his own anger finally wore away. He explained helplessly, "About the parent-teacher conference last time, I didn’t skip it on purpose. There was a last-minute emergency meeting, and I couldn’t get away. Didn’t I have your second uncle go for you afterward?"

Listening to his words, Jean Vance suddenly understood why that other boy had cried so pitifully upon seeing his mother. ’He doesn’t even go to his son’s parent-teacher conference, leaving the kid to stare wistfully as other families are together. Just thinking about it is heartbreaking. In the end, his business is more important than his own son. A father like that is worse than no father at all. If I were him, I’d want my mom too, especially a mom as nice as her. If you’re always miserable, you get used to it and can bear it. But the moment someone shows you a little kindness, all the grievances you’ve bottled up come rushing out like an opened floodgate.’

’And the root cause of all this doesn’t even see a problem. He probably just thinks I’m throwing a tantrum.’

Heh.

Seeing the mockery in his eyes, Samuel Ford’s frown deepened. He pressed his lips together and added, "It was my fault. Whatever you want to buy today, Dad will buy it for you."

’Just a tasteless nouveau riche who thinks he can solve everything with money.’

’He has zero sense of responsibility.’

Jean Vance didn’t want to say another word. He raised a hand to cut him off. "Let’s go."

This was the first time Samuel Ford had ever been interrupted so impatiently, and by his own son, no less. He was momentarily speechless, then took a long stride and hauled him back. "Go where? Didn’t you say you wanted to buy clothes? We haven’t bought any yet."

Jean Vance looked at him with annoyance, but then his eyes caught sight of something. His brow furrowed, and he agreed, "You’re coming with me."

’Now he’s being all clingy? So fickle?’

Samuel Ford raised an eyebrow slightly. "Fine."

’Little tyrant.’

Jean Vance glanced at the entrance, then casually grabbed several items of clothing and headed for the fitting rooms.

Samuel Ford reined in his cold aura and reached out to take the clothes. With his long arms and legs, carrying the children’s clothes was no effort at all. Jean Vance glanced at him but said nothing.

Just as the two of them entered a fitting room, a large and a small figure appeared at the store’s entrance.

"Mommy, let’s buy from this store," Felix Ford said, pointing when he saw the familiar logo. He used to shop here often.

Amanda Vance glanced over. She’d heard from Cecilia that the store had opened a branch in Aethelburg, but she hadn’t expected it to be right here.

This was the CBD, where foot traffic was highest and the consumer spending level was on the high side, which perfectly matched the brand positioning of their "July".

’The location is perfect.’

"Go on, pick some out." Walking straight to the children’s section, Amanda Vance let Felix Ford choose for himself.

Felix Ford didn’t move. He kept his arms wrapped around her neck, refusing to let go, and wheedled, "Mommy, you pick for me."

Amanda Vance pinched his cheek. "Alright."

She picked up an item of clothing. "Do you like this one?"

Without even looking, Felix Ford said, "I like it."

"What about this one?"

"I like it."

Amanda Vance gave him a look and pointed casually at another item. "That one?"

"I like it."

She burst out laughing with a "PFFT." Felix Ford paused, followed her finger, and saw what she was pointing at. His face turned bright red, and he puffed out his cheeks. "Mommy, you’re teasing me."

’She pointed at a dress and asked if I liked it. I’m a boy!’

"Well, it’s your fault for saying you like everything I ask about."

Felix Ford wasn’t upset. "I like everything Mommy picks."

Amanda Vance’s heart melted at his words. She stopped teasing her son, picked out a few outfits, and took him to try them on.

This time, Felix Ford didn’t let her go in with him, saying he wanted to change by himself. Summer clothes were thin and easy to put on, so Amanda Vance didn’t insist. It had always been like this, anyway.

She leaned against the wall, looking down at her phone, when she heard a voice from the opposite fitting room. It was deep, magnetic, and lazy. "Need any help?"

"No."

It was a child’s voice—cool and a little familiar.

"Mommy, I’m changed!" Felix Ford’s voice broke Amanda Vance’s train of thought. He came out of the fitting room, did a show-offy spin, and struck a pose. "Mommy, do I look good?"

’There’s a mirror in the fitting room, so I already saw. I look super handsome!’

’He does look very handsome.’

’Stylish and cool.’

Amanda Vance grabbed a hat from the nearby accessories section and placed it backward on his head. Felix Ford looked in the mirror and couldn’t help but give her a thumbs-up. "Mommy, you sure know how to make good-looking kids!"

With one sentence, he had complimented both of them.

Amanda Vance couldn’t help but smile.

"Go try on the others."

"Okay!"

In the fitting room next door, Jean Vance froze for a second. He lowered his head and continued changing his clothes without making another sound. ’I’m not afraid of Mom finding me,’ he thought, ’but I am afraid of her seeing this man.’

Just as he was thinking this, Samuel Ford’s phone rang. Seeing that his son was done changing and was just adjusting his clothes, he pushed the door open and stepped out.

Caught off guard, Jean Vance snapped his head up to look at him.